MMA

8:01 AM ET We’re already halfway through the UFC’s 2021 schedule — a span of six months that has seen 10 championship fights. Those 10 title fights have produced some memorable moments, to say the least: Kamaru Usman‘s one-punch knockout of Jorge Masvidal; Francis Ngannou avenging his loss against Stipe Miocic to seize the heavyweight

7:43 AM ET Charles Oliveira, right, defeated Michael Chandler in a fight to remember at UFC 262 to win the UFC lightweight championship. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images There were dominant performances by champions, title-fight upsets and a surprising phenomenon that appears to be gaining momentum. About the only thing the MMA world didn’t have in the first

Jun 29, 2021 Sean O’Malley was scheduled to fight Louis Smolka at UFC 264 on July 10 in Las Vegas, but Smolka had to withdraw Monday due to a bout with a staph infection, Smolka’s manager Jason House of Iridium Sports told ESPN. Kris Moutinho will replace Smolka, Moutinho’s manager, Tyson Chartier, told ESPN on

2:59 PM ET One of the UFC’s most popular up-and-coming fighters needs a new opponent. Sean O’Malley was scheduled to fight Louis Smolka at UFC 264 on July 10 in Las Vegas, but Smolka had to withdraw Monday due to a bout with a staph infection, Smolka’s manager Jason House of Iridium Sports told ESPN.

4:40 PM ET The UFC is adding an interim heavyweight title fight between Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane to its pay-per-view event Aug. 7, according to president Dana White. The UFC tried to book an undisputed title fight between defending champion Francis Ngannou and Lewis in June and then targeted it again for UFC 265

7:15 AM ET UFC 264 fight week is nearly upon us, and an enormous amount of attention is rightfully being spent on the high-stakes trilogy fight headlining the July 10 card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor. But a second look at the pay-per-view lineup shows just how much

7:45 PM ET Undefeated Ciryl Gane outpointed Alexander Volkov via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas. It was a critical heavyweight contender bout, and Gane could be queued up for a title fight before long. Gane’s hand speed, footwork and technical striking were

7:55 PM ET Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that the public’s conversation about the UFC heavyweight title picture has not typically included Ciryl Gane. The current narrative is that champion Francis Ngannou will make his first defense against Derrick Lewis, unless former light heavyweight champ Jon Jones sneaks in to turn the title shot

2:03 PM ET Fedor Emelianenko is going home. One of the greatest heavyweights of all time will return to the cage with Bellator on Oct. 23 for a bout in his home country of Russia, the promotion announced Friday. The card will take place at VTB Arena in Moscow. It will be Bellator’s first-ever show

12:03 AM ET Jeff Wagenheim There was a spotlight on former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis as he arrived in the PFL this year with big expectations. That light was doused on Friday as Pettis lost his second straight PFL fight in his regular-season finale, dropping a split decision to Raush Manfio of Brazil at

6:21 PM ET Jeff Wagenheim Anthony Pettis‘ playoff future is on the line. So is Lance Palmer‘s. Their tension-laden storylines are highlights on Friday’s PFL 6 (Live on ESPN+; 10 p.m. ET, ESPN 2) card, which wraps up the regular season as four divisions lock up their playoff brackets. The event in Atlantic City, New

8:33 AM ET Arguably more so than in any other sport, a win isn’t always a win in mixed martial arts. Just ask UFC heavyweight Ciryl Gane. Gane (8-0), who will face Alexander Volkov (33-8) in the main event of a matinee UFC Fight Night on Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas (1 p.m. ET on

6:43 PM ET Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans has decided to come out of retirement and says he is fully committed to competing in an MMA or boxing event in the near future. Evans, 41, announced his retirement from MMA in 2018. He told ESPN he is currently targeting a boxing match against

3:59 PM ET One of the more interesting preliminary fights on the UFC 264 card next month is off. Kevin Lee has suffered a rib injury and is out of a scheduled welterweight matchup with up-and-comer Sean Brady on July 10 in Las Vegas, Lee told ESPN on Thursday. Lee said he is taking some

10:43 AM ET The UFC 264 main event between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier won’t have a title on the line, but there will be plenty at stake on July 10 before a capacity crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. And the significance goes deeper than the winner likely landing a title shot against

2:35 PM ET UFC fighter Luis Pena is being accused of punching his girlfriend and breaking her cell phone. Pena was arrested last Friday in Coral Springs, Florida on charges of robbery by sudden snatching, battery and criminal mischief, per a spokesperson for the Coral Springs Police Department. The fighter remains in Broward County Detention

8:31 PM ET Claressa Shields isn’t wasting any time getting back in the cage. Less than two weeks after her MMA debut, the boxing standout is now booked for a return to PFL on Aug. 27 at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida, promotion officials told ESPN. No opponent has been named yet. The

7:30 AM ET UFC president Dana White has said — repeatedly — that Derrick Lewis will be the first challenger for heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou. White even implied the fight could possibly take place at UFC 265 on Aug. 7, but with July less than two weeks away and nothing finalized, is that timeframe realistic?